Science and technology policy is one of the public policies that promotes appropriate funding to advance scientific and technological research and education, studies the impact of science and technology upon its citizenry, and prescribes regulation, if necessary. Those involved in a nation’s science and technology policy analyze and often provide in-depth studies to determine the plans, programs and policies of the government and their effects on domestic and international affairs. Since many political issues have a scientific component, most developed countries have specific agencies, ministries, or offices that deal with science and technology policy.

This Tracer Bullet lists relevant sources of information on how science and technology policy is formulated, as well as its effects on the development and application of scientific and technological knowledge on a nation’s growth, economy, and well-being. In addition to the United States, this compilation includes references to the science and technology policies of other nations and groups of nations. Not intended as a comprehensive bibliography, this guide is designed--as the name of the series implies--to put the reader “on target.”

Kleinman, Daniel Lee. Thinking about the politics of science and science policy. In Politics on the endless frontier: postwar research policy in the United States. Durham, NC, Duke University Press, 1995. p. 1-23.
Q180.U5K5 1995

Politics and publics. In The Handbook of science and technology studies. 3rd ed. Edited by Edward J. Hackett and others. Cambridge, MA, MIT Press; Published in cooperation with the Society for the Social Studies of Science, c2008. p. 429-433.
Q158.5.H36 2008 <SciRR>

Baez, Benjamin, and Deron Boyles. The politics of inquiry: education research and the "culture of science." Albany, State University of New York Press, c2009. 237 p.
Bibliography: p. 217-232.
LB1028.B267 2009

Investigating science communication in the information age: implications for public engagement and popular media. Edited by Richard Holliman and others. Oxford, New York, Oxford University Press, 2009. 288 p.
Includes bibliographical references.
Q224.I59 2009

From the lab to the Hill: essays celebrating 20 years of Congressional Science and Engineering Fellows. Edited by Anthony Fainberg. Washington, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1994. 397 p.
Includes bibliographical references.
Q127.U6F76 1994

United States. Office of Scientific Research and Development. Science, the endless frontier. A report to the President by Vannevar Bush, the director of the Office of Scientific Research and Development. July 1945. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1945. 184 p.
Q127.U6A53 1945 <SciRR>

The Handbook of science and technology studies. 3rd ed. Edited by Edward J. Hackett and others. Cambridge, MA, MIT Press; Published in cooperation with the Society for the Social Studies of Science, c2008. 1065 p.
Includes bibliographical references.
Q158.5.H36 2008 <SciRR>

Innovation policies for the 21st century: report of a symposium. Edited by Charles W. Wessner. Committee on Comparative Innovation Policy: Best Practice for the 21st Century, Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy, Policy and Global Affairs, National Research Council of the National Academies. Washington, National Academies Press, c2007. 206 p.
Bibliography: p. 200-206.
HC110.T4I563 2007
Report from an international symposium held on April 15, 2007 in Washington, D.C.

NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Environmental Security and Public Safety--Problems and Needs in Conversion Policy and Research after 15 Years of Conversion in Central & Eastern Europe. (2005, Cottbus, Germany). Environmental security and public safety: proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Environmental Security and Public Safety: problems and needs in conversion policy and research after 15 years of conversion in Central & Eastern Europe. Edited by Wolfgang Spyra and Michael Katzsch. Dordrecht, London, Springer, 2007. 207 p.
Includes bibliographical references.
TD195.A75N355 2007

Science and technology and the future development of societies: international workshop proceedings. Edited by Glenn Schweitzer. Committee on the U.S.-Iran Workshop on Science and Technology and the Future Development of Societies; Office for Central Europe and Eurasia; Development, Security, and Cooperation, Policy and Global Affairs; National Research Council of the National Academies. Washington, National Academies Press, 2008. 130 p.
Includes bibliographical references.
Q175.5.S35 2008

State science and technology policy advice: issues, opportunities, and challenges: summary of a national convocation. Steve Olson, rapporteur; Jay B. Labov, editor. National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Washington, National Academies Press, c2008. 83 p.
Bibliography: p. 56-57.
Convocation held October 15-16, 2007.
Q127.U5S73 2008

These selected reports are available in the technical reports collection of the Science, Technology and Business Division. Other reports on the topic may be purchased from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), 5301 Shawnee Rd, Alexandria, VA 22312. NTIS telephone: (703) 605-6000. NTIS web site URL: http://www.ntis.gov

Energy: a matter of national, economic, and environmental security. Washington, Committee on Government Reform, U.S. House of Representatives, 2008. 43 p.
PB2009103091

Frontiers of Engineering. Reports on leading-edge engineering from the 2008 Symposium. Washington, National Academy of Engineering; Washington, National Academy of Sciences. Albuquerque, NM, Sandia National Labs, 2009. 194 p.
PB2009106458

Dissertations may be identified by using online resources or the following indexes located in the Main Reading Room. Consult any reference librarian about options. Some dissertations may be available in full text through electronic resources on public terminals at the Library of Congress.

Gallo, Jason. Speaking of science: the role of the National Science Foundation in the development of United States information infrastructure. Ann Arbor, MI, University Microfilms, 2008.
UMI publication number AAT 3331106
Collation of the original: 333 p.
Thesis (doctoral)--Northwestern University, 2008.

Abstracting and Indexing Services that index relevant journal articles and other literature are listed below. Some suggested terms for searching are “science policy,” “technology policy,” or other headings, depending upon the topic of interest. Many of the titles may now be available in electronic format. Consult a reference librarian for the location and format of abstracting and indexing services.

Abstracts in New Technologies and Engineering (1962-)
Z7913.B7 <SciRR A&I>

Liebow, Edward, and others. Toward the assessment of scientific and public health impacts of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Extramural Asthma Research Program using available data. Environmental health perspectives, v. 117, July 2009: 1147-1154.
RA565.A1E13

Longo, Bernadette. Mathematics, computer development, and science policy debates after World War II. IEEE annals of the history of computing, v. 30, July/Sept. 2008: 64-72.
QA76.17.A56

Himanen, Laura, and others. Influence of research funding and science policy on university research performance: a comparison of five countries. Science and public policy, v. 36, July 2009: 419-430.

The National Academies. Understanding stem cells: an overview of the science and issues from the National Academies. Washington, National Academies Press, 2007. 24 p.

National Research Council and Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. The National Academies’ guidelines for human embryonic stem cell research: 2008 Amendments. Washington, National Academies Press, 2008. 54 p.

The Internet offers a number of sites useful for finding information on science and technology policy. Several of the organizations listed above provide links to related sites from their web sites. You might try the sites listed below, or use your favorite search engine (such as Google or Yahoo) and appropriate key words to identify more specific resources.